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RE: FINE TUNING A GUITAR
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Tom Blackshear
Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008
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RE: FINE TUNING A GUITAR (in reply to britguy)
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since you mention the headstock, I cut the peg holes a little smaller to leave a little more wood mass to improve sound. The head design is slightly more empirical with added wood mass. This is in addition to a few slight modifications to the bridge and how the top is set with a flat style but with a curve behind the bridge area, at the bottom, that tapers around the sides to the line across from the bridge. This gives an appearance of a domed top but with a flatness from the sound-hole to the bottom of the top. The taper at the bottom is slightly curved down around the sides in line with the bridge that is slightly curved. When the bridge is glued on, it slightly pulls the top up a bit, again, to make it appear that the top is domed, which it is not, as it is primarily constructed flat. This helps sustain, projection, and better performance, imo.
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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker
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Date Apr. 30 2013 17:12:27
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Anders Eliasson
Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006
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RE: FINE TUNING A GUITAR (in reply to britguy)
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quote:
So, if I understand you correctly, more wood mass at the headstock improves sound? Depends on what you want. If you want a light, percussive, fast flamenco guitar, then mass at the headstock does NOT improve sound. If you want a fat sounding classical with lots of sustain, more mass at the headstock MIGHT improve sound. (there´s a limit.) Britguy, you have a tendency to mix up things and compare apples to oranges. Each music style has its own ethics soundwise and they all need instruments made for that. Instruments like flamenco guitars, classical guitars, steelstring guitars, banjos, mandolins, and so on, all have a neck, body and strings but it doesnt mean that they have anything else in common. They all have to be designed on their own premisses to the musicform where they are supposed to perform.
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Blog: http://news-from-the-workshop.blogspot.com/
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Date May 1 2013 7:50:40
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Tom Blackshear
Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008
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RE: FINE TUNING A GUITAR (in reply to HolyEvil)
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The label specifically says made in Spain and fine tuned by Tom Blackshear with a different Blackshear label. Perhaps there will be some changes made but right now this is the first guitar with a fine tuned label, that states, made in Spain, and fine tuned by Tom Blackshear. I understand that there are some well known *Spanish guitar houses that carry subcontractor guitars with the guitar house labels, with no indication they were subcontracted. This is fine with me but....... My agreement with the factory and sales agent up front was that I would fine tune the voice of these guitars made to my specifications and under no circumstances would I release a guitar until its voice was acceptable to me. And since my building out put has become slower after 53 years, I have decided to create other avenues of work to support my family, along with building my own instruments when I can; usually about 2 or 3 a year. *This situation is similar to a guitar making house adding extra builders to their work schedule, but for one difference, subcontractors take that place without the house having to add too many extra expenses of additional workers under their roof. I think with today's economy in the US we are going to see more added temp services, of all kinds, in operation than ever before.
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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker
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Date May 3 2013 2:28:37
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Tom Blackshear
Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008
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RE: FINE TUNING A GUITAR (in reply to Anders Eliasson)
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Anders, you are going to have to show the readers on this list that your way of doing business is the only way, and that my business is out of touch, when a variety of guitar houses, like Ramirez, Conde, Bernabe, et al, subcontract their models out to smaller and even larger factories to fill their quotas. There are studio models as well as higher priced instruments that are made by these factories and no doubt some; even many of them are set up and fine tuned by the original sales houses. I know of some music companies here is the US that do this, So my idea is not new, just long in coming to fruition, concerning my building career. This is certainly a legitimate way to do business in Spain and has been for many years. I would ask you to have mercy and not try and stop me from advertising my livelihood, as this is no different from anyone else who seeks to show or tell about his business. You have had years to promote your craft on this forum.... But your way is not the only way, my friend.
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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker
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Date May 3 2013 15:48:49
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Tom Blackshear
Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008
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RE: FINE TUNING A GUITAR (in reply to keith)
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Kieth, the wording on Savage guitar website is a little off but still explanatory that the guitar was made in Spain and set up and tuned by me. Comments: This is a beautiful classical guitar with that bold in your face Spanish characteristic that amazes you until you hear that Tom Blackshear built it. Actually, Tom has commissioned this guitar from a famous builder in Spain thru a collaborative effort of modeling and testing. Going thru various prototypes, using the best woods and materials possible, Tom was finally satisfied that they had done an excellent job, one that he could put his name within. He then proceeded to set the guitar up and finish it to his specs. Thus, the revisited designation as seen in the label. (The label reads "Made in Spain and fine tuned by Tom Blackshear), on a different Blackshear label from my regular labels. "This is not a studio model but a highly crafted model suited for professional use, etc." Low action, superbly setup, very easy play, the guitar resonates against your body. The clear voicing, fat and round, warm with coloring, and the slightest bit of rasp of the guitar becomes evident when you push her a bit, mindful of the older recordings of the Spanish masters of years gone by. The balance is superb with a nice punch to the basses, a strong mid range, and a lilting sing to the trebles. Such a beauty of a classical guitar built by a gentleman luthier. Kieth, if you can see a way to word this better then have at it, and I'll submit it to Rich Sayage for consideration. I'm sure he would be open to comments.
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Date May 3 2013 16:20:22
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rogeliocan
Posts: 811
Joined: Nov. 23 2009
From: Canada
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RE: FINE TUNING A GUITAR (in reply to Tom Blackshear)
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quote:
Actually, the label is written in ink, made in Spain, at the top, then the label reads: constructor of guitars Tom Blackshear And then written in ink "fine tuned by Tom Blackshear." But the label is not set in concrete, anymore than the comments made by Rich Sayage, so if you care to suggest a better way, let me know and I'll present your suggestion to Rich for consideration. Obviously, this is the start of an ongoing progression with trying to get everything in order to sell these models.. I just read this post for the first time today... the fighting got my attention. Yeah, that label text means nothing. This is akin to andalucian guitars isn't it. My first reaction would be to stay away, especially at that price, and even if it was $1k. I don't know who buys gutars like this for $8k, maybe it's the free shipping. In any case you have more business sense than I do (I know I don't have much of it), and business-wise, congratulations on exploiting this segment. What does fine tuning mean, what do you do? Did I miss the description in the post? Anders, and I am sincere, (and it is none of my business) you should relax and use Mr. Blackshear as one of your personal goals to reach a 'higher state of mind' (don't know how to put it) and just let it go; to one day, be able to read this stuff and completely not care, breath faster, or get a hot flash. In the big scheme of things, and in your personal life, does all this really matter... Really don't want to offend, but I dealt with that type of thing on another subject and it has changed my life for the better (in my case it was part of my daily life).
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Date May 3 2013 21:36:56
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